The World of J.R.R. Tolkien

The tale of Bilbo Baggins chronicled in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit often lives in the shadow of the popular writer’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Corey Olsen, the self-described “Tolkien Professor,” thinks that’s a shame. With both books, Tolkien created a stunningly complex myth that Olsen says addresses themes all too relevant in the real world: the nature of evil, the corrupting power of greed and the ease with which good people can be drawn into destructive conflict. Olsen joins us on Thursday to talk about the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien.